April 30, 2006

Hofstra WR Marques Colston

Round 7 - Pick 252 - Hofstra WR Marques Colston - 6'4, 223, 4.53

Big receiver with potential, Colston is proof that the scouts in charge of scouting the northeastern quarter of the country had some serious say in the Saints' decision room. Colston may make the transition to pass-catching tight end, much like former Saint TE Boo Williams did. Colston has great hands but needs to prove that in the NFL he can separate from defenders because he doesn't possess great speed on the perimeter. He is a reliable route runner and receiver but probably isn't quick enough to be a receiver and will need to undergo a physical and mental metamorphosis to play at tight end. Still, he remains physically imposing and will try to make a name for himself in red zone drills.

Colston had 13 touchdowns over three seasons before taking a medical redshirt in 2004 and returning even better last season. Playing in the East-West Shrine game earlier this offseason he showed off his leaping ability.

This late in the draft, the Saints stole Colston from teams looking to sign him as a free agent. It's even possible that the Saints were being outbid for him on the open undrafted free agent market, so they decided to draft him to ensure they get him in camp. Colston is the first player from Hofstra to be drafted by the Saints in franchise history.